✦ Luna Orbit — Science & Research

Associate Director, Engineering- Small Molecule

at Merck

📍 2 Locations Hybrid 💰 $129K – $203K USD / year Posted March 13, 2026
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Position Details

Salary $129K – $203K USD / year
Type Full-Time
Experience senior
Exp. Years 8-10 years
Education Bachelor's in Packaging Engineering, Packaging Science, Mechanical Engineering, or similar field with 10 years of relevant pharmaceutical development experience; OR Master's with 8 years of relevant experience
Category Science & Research

About this role

This role involves leading packaging development for small molecule pharmaceutical products, ensuring compliance, robustness, and sustainability, while managing cross-functional teams and technical risk assessments.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead packaging strategies
  • Ensure regulatory compliance
  • Manage qualification activities
  • Conduct technical risk assessments
  • Collaborate with stakeholders

Technical Overview

The scope includes pharmaceutical packaging design, risk assessment, qualification activities, and regulatory compliance, with a focus on oral solid dosage and parenteral products.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a senior packaging engineer with extensive experience in pharmaceutical development, supporting small molecule portfolios, and leading cross-functional teams. They possess strong technical skills in risk assessment, qualification, and regulatory compliance, with a focus on product launch readiness.

Must-Have Skills

Experience supporting small molecule portfolioUnderstanding of pharmaceutical development processDesigndevelopand test packaging componentsUse of Risk Assessment toolsCross-functional team leadershipProject management experienceExcellent technical communication skills

Nice-to-Have Skills

Sustainability goals knowledgeRegulatory compliance experienceProduct launch experience

Tools & Platforms

Regulatory StandardsRisk Assessment ToolsQualification Activities

Required Skills

Packaging EngineeringPackaging ScienceMechanical EngineeringRisk AssessmentRegulatory StandardsProduct DevelopmentQualification ActivitiesTechnical Risk Assessments

Hard Skills

Packaging EngineeringPackaging ScienceMechanical EngineeringRisk AssessmentRegulatory StandardsProduct DevelopmentPharmaceutical DevelopmentQualification ActivitiesTechnical Risk AssessmentsPackaging Specifications

Soft Skills

CommunicationProblem-solvingStakeholder ManagementTechnical LeadershipTeamworkDecision Making

Industry & Role

Industry Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
Job Function Lead pharmaceutical packaging development and strategy

Keywords for Your Resume

Packaging EngineeringPackaging ScienceMechanical EngineeringRisk AssessmentRegulatory StandardsProduct DevelopmentPharmaceutical DevelopmentQualification ActivitiesTechnical Risk AssessmentsPackaging SpecificationsCross-functional teamsProject managementRegulatory complianceProduct launchSustainability

Deal Breakers

Lack of experience in pharmaceutical packaging, No prior experience supporting small molecule products, Inability to lead cross-functional teams, No understanding of regulatory standards

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